Fun cap with a motor

ABSTRACT

This invention consists of a cap with a visor provided with two hands in the front which move automatically, that can be used for entertaining and promotional purposes.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

This invention is based on a standard cap incorporating a variant ofautomated movement for any kind of promotional use.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many different sorts of caps are used for promotional purposes, with orwithout movement, but no one has ever heard of a cap incorporating afully automatic clapping function.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In a cotton canvas cap with a visor, baseball-type, two protrudingmoving elements are fitted into the seams of the 2 front panels on eachside of the bill and parallel to the edges of the visor. This item is tobe considered as a fun cap, perfect for promotional use.

The moving elements are made up of two pieces of fabric sewn togetherface to face, forming a bag padded with foam or another material inorder to give it consistency and simulate a hand or another shapedepending on the intended promotional use (see drawing # 2).

Another piece of mesh fabric is sewn inside the two front panels forproper ventilation of the user's forehead. Between the front panels andthe mesh fabric, a U-shaped plastic (polycarbonate) strip is fitted, thearms of which come out of the seams on each side of the front; these twoinserts are sandwiched into the tip of the moving parts to maintain themstiff and roughly horizontal, acting also as a return spring when aclapping movement is simulated.

Above (FIG. 1) or on the top of (FIG. 2) the visor 10, a small box 12housing the mechanism 11 (FIG. 3) for actuating the moving parts 1 (FIG.1), the batteries 21 (FIG. 3) and the printed circuit 31 (FIG. 3) isfitted between the moving parts 1, which are a pair of hand shapesfastened to the front 3A of the crown 3B of the cap 3.

The actuation is provided by a miniaturized electric D.C. motor such asthose used in toys. Pulses are delivered by an electronic device to themotor with a view to simulating the clapping action—if the moving partsare hands—or putting into motion the element used for promotionalpurposes.

The clapping movement is achieved by using nylon threads 41 eachfastened to a moving element 1 (hands or whatever) on one end and,through holes 4 on opposite sides of the mechanism box 12 to wind uponto the shaft of the motor 1 at the other end. When the motor isenergized, the threads wind up and when it is de-energized, the threadsunwind and the hands open out due to the elastic spring effect producedby a polycarbonate inside the moving parts 1.

The path of the moving elements is limited by the nylon threads ofsufficient diameter to overcome the strength applied by the plasticstrip inserted in the cap and the advertising element.

The control electronics is based on a microcontroller that regulates thenumber of times the motor is energized and de-energized. Themicrocontroller also regulates the number of clapping cycles each timethe mechanism is operated, i.e. the pre-determined sequence ofcycles—according to the advertising company's specifications—which iscompleted before the mechanism stops automatically leaving the motor andthe moving parts in rest position.

Initially, the solution chosen for actuating the mechanism is amembrane-type switch fitted on the edge of the visor. Furtherdevelopments might feature a microphone for voice-actuation.

The energy required for the clapping movement is provided by two drycell batteries (1.5 v) located inside the box that can be accessedeasily by opening the snap-on tab of the box lid.

Attached is a number of diagrams to help understand the operation andthe location of the different elements.

What is claimed is:
 1. Motor-powered fun cap comprising: a cap with acrown and a visor; an electric motor; two moving elements spaced on thecrown above the visor; and a mechanism powered by the electric motor formoving the moving elements, the mechanism including an element acting asa return spring inside the moving elements also for rigidity andpositioning.
 2. Motor-powered fun cap according to claim 1, wherein totransmit the movement from the electric motor to the moving elements,the mechanism consists of two nylon threads fastened to the movingelement and to the electric motor for winding up onto a shaft to bringthe moving elements closer and when the electric motor stops, unwindingdue to pulling exerted by the spring.
 3. Motor-powered fun cap accordingto claim 2, and further comprising a printed circuit housed inside boxon a front of the crown on top of or above the visor to energized andde-energize the electric motor.
 4. Motor-powered fun cap according toclaim 1, and further comprising a printed circuit housed inside box on afront of the crown on top of or above the visor to energized andde-energize the electric motor.